:''For the
department of
Haiti, see
Nord Department''
The 'Northern Department' was a former department of the government of
England and later the
United Kingdom, responsible for dealing with government business in the northern part of
Europe. This included foreign affairs concerning such northern powers as
Russia,
Sweden and the
Holy Roman Empire. It was administered by the
Secretary of State for the Northern Department.
The Northern Department's opposite number within government was the
Southern Department, responsible (as its name suggests) for affairs in southern Europe as well as domestic and colonial affairs.
In
1782, the Northern and Southern Departments were reorganised, with the
Foreign Office taking over their foreign affairs responsibilities and
Home Office taking over their domestic affairs responsibilities.